Missing Elderly Woman Located After Extensive Multi-Agency
Search
June 18, 2009
On June 17, 2009, at approximately 12:00 am, 85-year-old Betty
Henderson was reported missing after failing to arrive at a
friend's house for a card game. Ms. Henderson had her cell phone
with her and, with the assistance of her phone company, we were
able to locate the last cell site location, which was in the
southern part of Pinal County. Due to the remote area of the
cell tower, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office was contacted for
assistance.
At approximately 3:00 am, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office and
the Mesa Police Department's Missing Persons Unit put a
coordinated effort in place to locate Ms. Henderson. Pinal
County Search and Rescue, Maricopa County Sheriff's Office,
Department of Public Safety, Mesa Police Aviation, Mesa Police
Major Felony Unit, U.S. Marshals Office, United States Air Force
Civil Air Patrol and numerous behind-the-scene support personnel
began working together to locate Ms. Henderson. She was found at
approximately 10:00 pm last night still inside her vehicle in a
desert area 19 miles from S.R. 79 between Florence and Oracle
Junction.
Ms. Henderson was transported by ground ambulance for a slight
case of exposure, but overall was in good condition. Without the
collaborative effort of all personnel involved, namely Sgt.
Brian Messing of the Pinal County Sheriff's Office, who
coordinated the ground search, the outcome of this case could
have ended tragically.